City's senior center gets facelift

Updated 12:00 am, Saturday, November 30, 2013

Linda Powers-Maloney, left, of Bridgeport, paints a pottery Christmas tree in the Ceramic Studio at the new Eisenhower Senior Center at 307 Golden Hill Streeet in Bridgeport, Conn. on Tuesday, November 26, 2013.

Linda Powers-Maloney, left, of Bridgeport, paints a pottery Christmas tree in the Ceramic Studio at the new Eisenhower Senior Center at 307 Golden Hill Streeet in Bridgeport, Conn. on Tuesday, November 26,

A large activities room, which will be used for bingo and exercise/dance classes, among other things, at the new Eisenhower Senior Center at 307 Golden Hill Streeet in Bridgeport, Conn. on Tuesday, November 26, 2013. less

A large activities room, which will be used for bingo and exercise/dance classes, among other things, at the new Eisenhower Senior Center at 307 Golden Hill Streeet in Bridgeport, Conn. on Tuesday, November 26, ... more

Developer Phil Kuchma and his Kuchma Corporation, of Bridgeport, begins construction on apartments next to the new Eisenhower Senior Center at 307 Golden Hill Streeet in Bridgeport, Conn. on Tuesday, November 26, 2013. Kuchma renovated the long vacant American Legion hall into the senior center, which he swapped with the city for adjacent properties for commercial development. less

Developer Phil Kuchma and his Kuchma Corporation, of Bridgeport, begins construction on apartments next to the new Eisenhower Senior Center at 307 Golden Hill Streeet in Bridgeport, Conn. on Tuesday, November ... more

A large activities room, which will be used for bingo and exercise/dance classes, among other things, at the new Eisenhower Senior Center at 307 Golden Hill Streeet in Bridgeport, Conn. on Tuesday, November 26, 2013. less

A large activities room, which will be used for bingo and exercise/dance classes, among other things, at the new Eisenhower Senior Center at 307 Golden Hill Streeet in Bridgeport, Conn. on Tuesday, November 26, ... more

BRIDGEPORT -- Although city seniors had mixed feelings about their new downtown building, those attending the grand opening agreed that developer Phil Kuchma's $1.8 million renovation was impressive.

"I'm really surprised it is so nice because I didn't know what to expect. It was so decrepit," said Bob Burdo, a member of the city Commission on Aging about the former American Legion Hall at 307 Golden Hill St.

Kuchma's renovation of the former eyesore is part of a land swap with the city that will lead to the conversion of the former Eisenhower Center into a neighborhood gym, apartments and a restaurant.

That building has been closed since the summer as the city works to remove asbestos before turning it over to Kuchma.

Seniors have been attending activities at the Margaret Morton Government Center in that time. But on Monday more than 100 people got a look at the renovated building's large, bright rooms and a whiff of fresh paint and new carpets.

"It's wonderful," said one-term City Councilman John Olson, who often joked about his role as the council's most "senior" member. "The other place was so dank and dark. Phil Kuchma is phenomenal. I think they'll likely have a lot more attendance now."

Linda Powers-Maloney, an East Side senior and member of the Red Hat Society, said she used to joke that walking into the old Eisenhower Center felt like walking back into the 1940s, when the former YMCA building was built.

"We went from that generation to now," she said of the new site, as she took a break from handing out free cloth bags and T-shirts at the building's grand opening.

A member of the Eisenhower Steppers, a step dancing group, Lillie Moore was looking forward to practicing in an air-conditioned space. "We had no A/C in the old building," she said.

But not everything about the new building lived up to the seniors' expectations. With just three floors and an open floor plan, some seniors wondered whether the center was really a step up from the old building, which had five floors, a swimming pool and separate rooms for activities.

"I like the old one better. It was bigger," said Kevin Meyer, a Clinton Avenue resident, as he enjoyed the free breakfast provided by Ripka's Bridgeport Market, downtown's first supermarket.

Sitting across from him, Norman Morrisette wondered how people painting ceramics could relax with others watching TV, exercising or playing pool just a few feet away. The activities are separated only by short, dividing walls. The men, however, were glad they did not lose free access to the old building's swimming pool -- a fact Mayor Bill Finch noted several times in a brief speech.

"The only thing not in the building is the pool -- but it's just next door," Finch told the seniors. "And there's exercise machines down in the basement. They work. I already tried them out."

Besides popular activities like bingo, seniors visiting the new center will also be able to enjoy new weekly activities, like ballroom dancing classes every Thursday and line dancing on Fridays.

For more information about the Eisenhower Senior Center call 203-576-7993.